The Love Story of Ron and Hermione
by Keller-Bloom
Summary: Written many many years ago, before books 5,6 and 7 were published , this was my attempt at the story of how Ron and Hermione found out about the love they secretly shared. Complete.


**The Love Story Of Ron And Hermione**

I have never understood men, and I suppose in many ways I never will either. They just seem so unfathomable to me, and this frustrates me so much! I mean I am Hermione Granger for goodness sakes! I was Hogwarts resident know it all, and yet the opposite sex seems such an impossible problem to comprehend! I mean I never understood why Harry couldn't realize how Cho must have felt after Cedric died, and as for Ron…. Well he is the biggest mystery of them all! I mean if he liked me then why didn't he say something? How could he have not known how I felt about him? But then as I have said, the male sex has always been an enigma for me. Still this is my story and I shall try to convey my predicament to you as best as I possibly can. But you must remember that this story took place in the middle of a war between Harry and Voldemort. However I am not going to go into details about that as that is not the purpose of this story. And besides I think there are others who could tell that particular tale a lot better than I.

And so it starts…

I had loved the one you may know as Ronald Weasley for nearly… oh I don't know… 4 years, but had never had the opportunity, (or courage for that matter) to actually tell him. So it was only until early on in our last year at Hogwarts that I realised that there may be a time when I wont see him everyday, and the chance to tell him how I felt was slowly slipping away. I decided then that it was about time I "bit the bullet" as you muggles say, and finally decided to confess my love for him. I mean it really was about time he knew, and well… I had lived with these feelings for too long not to tell him. But the thing is… I was petrified. And I know what you're thinking; you're thinking: "Telling Ron how you felt does not sound such a big, scary task."

Well you are right, but then you don't know Ron like I do. I mean if I had fallen in love with someone who I didn't know so intimately or someone that I didn't hang around with every day then perhaps it would have been easier. But when you grow up with someone, someone you consider a best friend or even a brother because you have gotten to know them so well, it's a really big problem. What if I told him and he didn't feel the same way? And then he wouldn't talk to me because he was embarrassed and didn't know how to act in front of me and then our friendship that we'd built for 7 years would be ruined! It was such a risk, and the last thing I wanted was to make him uncomfortable or embarrassed, and I don't know what I would do without him and Harry around me. So I fussed, and I thought, and I cried, and I moaned until I decided that Ron was not a monster, and surely if he didn't like me in that way he would let me down gently and we would still be friends. So, the next day, I was going to tell him. And you know what? I couldn't have picked a worse day to try.

The day started like every other, my alarm going off at 7, climbing out of bed, making my way to the bathroom, and having a nice long bath before I had to go to breakfast with the guys. Today I had butterflies in my stomach, today was the day I was going to tell Ron that I loved him. I hoped that it would go smoothly, and I had decided to tell him in the common room after Potions. I hoped it would brighten his day after 2 hours with Professor Snape. I hoped that he would be happy; I hoped that he would love me back.

And so after an extremely interesting Potions lesson I tried to crush down the butterflies that had grown steadily in my belly and followed Ron and Harry out of the classroom. I walked next to Harry on the way back to the common room, he was chatting to me about some new broom polish for his Fire Bolt or something, I wasn't really paying any attention to him as I was staring at Ron who was walking ahead of us with Lavender Brown.

This was not an unusual sight as recently the two of them had been paired together in a Charms project; however by the way that Lavender was acting they were definitely not talking about school work. She was flirting with him! Flirting with my Ron! I felt a strong twinge of jealousy as I watched the two of them. I decided that Ron was either oblivious to her behaviour (more than likely) or he was actually flirting back to her (oh no, oh no, oh no!!!).

_Well_, I thought, _I'd better get a move on and tell him or I may be too late! Yes… the moment I can get him alone I shall just say it, just confess it… yes it's a perfect plan!_

Well in my mind it seemed to be perfect, however in practice it became somewhat of a disaster.

We arrived back in the common room and since we had no more lessons for a couple of hours we all just lounged around in the sofas by the fire. Usually I would have used this time to go to the library and research my upcoming lessons or crack on with some homework, however today I had very important business about my love life to deal with so I stayed with the others. And anyway I had decided that if things when wrong with Ron I would just flee to the library and hide for a while.

Ron and Lavender were laughing on the sofa while Harry was flicking through a book called "Extremely Dangerous Spells (for ages 100 years and over ONLY!)"

_Right well, he's not on his own at the minute so I should just wait until he is… yes… wait._

I grabbed a book from my overflowing bag and sat in the armchair nearest Ron and Lavender. Usually I would have devoured this book in a very short time indeed, but today I could hardly concentrate on the first words. I kept peering over the book to watch Ron and Lavender. They were currently playing a game of wizards chess, that Ron was not only beating her badly, but was still blatantly trying to let Lavender win. They were both laughing loudly and grinning at each other. This was strange; usually Ron was stupidly competitive about this game and would never want anyone to beat him… and yet here he was trying to let her win! Oh no!

_Okay, it's still okay, they're not together or anything they're just having a laugh. If I can get Ron on his own I can say what I need to say and hopefully I won't be too late._

But the time was slipping away from me. Lavender was clearly not going to let go of Ron for the entire time in the common room. So I decided that I should go up and ask to speak to Ron alone, or just tell him in front of her.

The butterflies suddenly turned to bricks as I sat there having decided that, my so called Gryffindor-courage was slowly slipping away from me.

My palms were sweating and my heart was pumping as I closed the book and placed it back in my bag.

_I am going to tell Ron. I am going to tell Ron._ Was all that was running through my head as I slowly rose from my seat and shakily made my way towards the sofa. Lavender was whispering something to Ron as I was approaching and he lifted his head and beamed at her. I stumbled closer to the chair and stood dumbfounded trying to find the words to express my feelings for the tall redheaded boy I was staring at. I must have looked such a sight, just stood in front of the two of them staring intently at Ron. He must have noticed I was there as he said:

"Hermione, guess what?" he didn't give me time to answer before he came out with:

"Lavender has just agreed to be my girlfriend!"

Before this information could have possibly sunk into my skull, he leaned over and planted a long kiss on Lavender's lips. Once he had drawn away his smiling face proclaimed:

"Isn't that great?!"

I floundered, completely lost for words, my mouth opened and closed like a fish, as I searched for the words to help me recover. I found nothing but a gurgle in my stomach and retching in my throat. I tuned from the happy couple (who were staring at me as if I'd gone mad) covered my mouth and ran to the toilets to be sick.

Once I had finished retching in the girl's bathroom I was so embarrassed that I couldn't face the rest of the common room again, and so slipped away to the library to find some refuge. I wanted to cry so badly, but I didn't want to make a scene in front of my fellow Gryffindors and so tried to make my exit as quiet as possible. As I skirted out of the common room I heard Ron call over to me, probably asking how I was but I didn't stay around to find out. I couldn't look at Ron when he was still with her… I hated that Lavender had beaten me to it. How could she have Ron? She didn't care for him as I had done for years now. How could they just start going out, when I had loved him for so long and never done anything about it. How could it be that simple?

Once I arrived at the library I found a secluded corner and picked up a huge text book buried my face in it and allowed the tears that I had been holding back to flow. I hated Lavender for taking Ron away from me, I hated Ron for not loving me the way I loved him, but most of all I hated myself for not telling him earlier that I loved him, I hated that I had not had the guts to tell him how I felt, I hated the thought of how we could have spent at least 2 years being together and being happy if only I had told him! There would have been no opportunity for Lavender to get her claws into him! He could have been mine, and now he was hers. She had destroyed all my hopes and dreams of a happy Ron and Hermione future. I was so angry and heart broken and I wept into my book hoping no one could hear my sobs of pain.

As it happens someone did. I had propped the book against the desk to shield myself from prying eyes and leaned to the desk and sobbed into my arms. I felt a faint breeze and more defined light and I realised that someone must have removed my book. I didn't bother to look up though, what was the point? It was only until I felt a pair of gentle arms snake themselves around my shoulders and hug me tightly did I look up a fraction. I shifted my head slightly and saw… red hair! My heart skipped a beat.

"It's okay Hermione." Said a voice, "I understand, I mean I have eyes, I've guessed for a while now." I sniffed a bit and raised my head further to see the person who was comforting me.

"He doesn't like Lavender that much, I know he doesn't. You're all he talks about at home you know." I smiled weakly, and wiped my clammy cheeks with the back of my hand.

"Thanks Ginny." I managed to mumble, and tried to fight back the disappointment that it wasn't the other Weasley sat there cuddling me. Still Ginny and I had always been friends, and I was grateful that she was here to support me.

"I feel like such an idiot…" I began, but had no idea where I was going with the sentence and so ended it with a mouthful of hopeless sobs which caused Ginny to hug me tighter.

"Shush, shush, its okay, let's just have your cry. It will get better, I'm telling you Hermione. I know he doesn't love Lavender, he loves you. Everyone can tell. It was a shock to the whole common room when we found out that they are an item. Harry especially. He doesn't seem to believe it at all." I know Ginny was only telling me this to make me feel better, but I could see through her words. Ron didn't love me; if he did then he would have done something about it. He obviously had the courage to ask a member of the opposite sex out. And if he had wanted me then he would have asked me… but he never did, so that must mean… he doesn't feel that way towards me.

I wept some more, the tears were bitter but flowed easily from my sobbing form, and Ginny stayed with me throughout. We must have been in the library for 2 hours at least, I had missed my Charms lesson and I'm sure Ginny missed some of her lessons too but for once I didn't care. I couldn't focus on anything but my own misery. Once the tears had ended I spoke to Ginny about my feelings for Ron. It was good to talk to someone in depth about it, especially someone as caring and patient as Ginny. It was a relief to tell someone just how much I loved him, and I realised just how hard it had been to keep it to myself for all these years. It was like lifting a great weight off me, as I spilled out to Ginny how long I had loved him, just when I realised and how much this business with Lavender hurt.

"Oh Merlin," I said "I must have been so obvious to them. I mean when he told me I just stood there opening and closing my mouth trying to say something. Then once he'd stopped talking I just ran off." I cringed at the memory of my behaviour. "If he and Lavender didn't know it before they must know it now."

Ginny scoffed,

"If there's one thing I know about my brother it's that he is completely oblivious when it comes to women, and _especially _you." She smiled, "And anyway once you had fled I followed you to the toilets and heard you… well you know… so I went back and told Lavender and Ron that you were ill and that I would take care of you. Ron insisted that he do it, _of course_, but I said that it wouldn't look good for him to be caught in the girl's toilets and he told me to make sure that you were okay." Ginny seemed positively triumphant now.

"So you see don't you dare give me anymore of the he-doesn't-like-me-in-that-way rubbish, because it's simply not true." I sniffed again and smiled a little.

"You really think so?" I asked quietly.

"I am quite adamant that he loves you the same, if not more than you do him." she replied.

"Then why hasn't he done anything to tell me?"

"Probably for the same reasons why you didn't tell him. Fear of rejection from someone you love so deeply, or afraid of ruining a friendship that he values more than life its self."

I sat back in my chair mulling over this option. Could it be true? Could Ron really love me in the same why I love him? Ginny certainly seemed to think so, and the two of them had grown up together so there must be something in what she said.

"But then why all this stuff with Lavender then? Why go out with her if he actually loves me?"

Ginny looked puzzled, "I haven't worked that one out myself yet. It is odd, but trust me Hermione, he does love you, he's just useless!"

I took some strength from these words, but I still had harrowing doubts. But whether Ron loved me, or not, as the case may be, I still dreaded having to be face to face with him again, especially if he was with Lavender.

I managed to make it to my Defence Against The Dark Arts lesson looking slightly more respectable than my appearance in the library. Ginny had eventually managed to cheer me up, and I was eternally grateful to her for helping me during my little crying session. I arrived at the classroom just as the class were filing into the room.

_That's good_, I thought, _now I don't have to go through an interrogation by Harry or Ron about my state of health._

I walked to my usual desk and was surprised to only find Harry sat at it. I looked at him questionably and he indicated his head to the back of the class pulling a face as he did so. I turned to see Ron sat next to Lavender. They were clearly holding hands under the desk, and I felt an all too familiar stirring in my stomach.

_No_, I said to myself, _just deal with it. Don't go all sappy on me again_.

I took a deep breath, and caught Ron's eye. He looked at me in a concerned way and mouthed, "Are you okay?" across the room to me. I smiled weakly and gave him a nod. I indicated to his entwined hands and gave a thumbs up. He beamed at me, and I instantly felt guilty about my selfish feelings for him. He was happy now, he looked over the moon. It was about time I stopped thinking just of myself and began to be happy for him. He had found someone he wanted to love and he had acted on it. He had been decisive and now he was overjoyed. How could I have possibly been so selfish? This was nothing to do with me. It was all about Ron being happy, and as a friend I should be happy for him. But no matter how I looked at it, I still felt miserable to the core.

_I must be such a bad friend,_ I mused.

Over the next couple of days things passed difficultly for me, but still I survived. It took some getting use to, seeing my Ron and Lavender kiss and cuddle around Hogwarts. Harry seemed to be having a hard time of it too as Lavender seemed to be taking up all of Ron's time, and Harry took to skulking around the common room with a face like thunder grumbling to himself whenever he saw the two of them together. He still hadn't asked me what I thought about the whole affair, but secretly I think he must have known how I felt for Ron. He probably knew long before even I realised how I felt! I tried my best pretending to be happy for them but I could only manage it for about an hour, after which I would need some alone time with Ginny. I knew I had to get over it, but I was still in love with him despite the fact that he didn't feel the same. Lavender seemed to be doing her best to becoming part of the gang, always asking Harry to join them in a game of Wizards Chess or Exploding Snap, always asking me for help with research or homework. Mind you, she used to ask me that before she got with Ron, but now at least I actually helped her. It seemed only right, since my reaction to hearing that they got together was to be violently sick, I was still feeling a bit guilty about that to be honest, even if nobody knew but me and Ginny. When I did get to see Ron he was constantly asking me if I was feeling alright, and whether I should have seen Madame Pomfrey about my illness. I kept reassuring him that it was probably just a 24hour bug thing, and that yes, I was alright now and no, I don't need to go to the hospital wing for a check up. Honestly he was worse than my parents! Still it felt nice for him to give me some attention, though Lavender never looked very pleased when she saw us talking together. To be honest I felt a thrill about that, here I had a small victory over her, after all me and Ron are best friends, and if she thought she could ruin that as well as my chance at a proper relationship with Ron she's got another thing coming! Still I had plenty of other things to keep me occupied, exam revision, homework, DA meetings to plan, the imminent Voldemort attack to worry about, so really Ron was the last thing on my mind… No that's a lie. Throughout my revision I would think whether Ron had revised that part of the course, I would worry whether Ron would hand his homework in on time, whether he had learnt that new charm for the DA meeting, and of course what would become of us all after this terrible war had ended. He was far from the last thing on my mind, in fact he was the _only_ thing on my mind.

"So, how are you feeling?"

"Look Ron, my little illness was four days ago. Really I'm fine!" I protested. The two of us were heading to the Great Hall for lunch when this usual line of questioning had occurred, but as usual I was glad for the attention, at least he wanted to know that I was well, that must mean something right?

"So you're really okay then?" he asked,

"Yes! Really. You don't have to keep checking up on me Ronald. Honestly, you're getting as bad as your mum!" his face paled and he said,

"You don't mean that do you?" I looked at the expression on his face- it was one of pure horror, I laughed,

"No, of course I don't mean it." I said, and with that we walked into the Great Hall for a delicious lunch.

For a change Ron had decided to sit with me and Harry, much to Lavender's apparent dislike. I think he had realised how much he had been neglecting us (especially Harry) over the past four days, and was now trying to make amends by balancing the hectic schedule of friends, girlfriend, and school work. The 2 boys were now engaged in an apparently hilarious conversation which had them both crying with laughter and caused them both to slap the table so fiercely that plates and cutlery were flying everywhere. Not that anybody minded. All the Gryffindor's were happy to see the best friends spending more time together, and life seemed normal again. That is until Lavender managed to dislodge everyone so she could sit on the other side of Ron. So there we were again, the four of us. Harry was passing dark looks to me in reference to Lavender, I was pretending to be alright with it, and Ron was lost to more unnecessary kissing and cuddling at the dinner table. I tell you it was enough to put you off your dinner! Once the initial petting was over Lavender turned to talk to Harry, and I advised Ron on what revision he should be doing for next week.

"Honestly Hermione," he said to me, "you never stop do you? It's all work, work, work!"

"Well in case you hadn't noticed Ron that is what were here for! And this is the crucial year for us."

"Fred and George did alright without doing NEWTS." He replied,

"But you are not Fred and George!" I said feeling my temper rising, how is it he has the ability to make me so angry! "And if you didn't want to do NEWTS then why did you bother to stay on at Hogwarts at all! I thought you wanted to become an Auror anyway!"

"I do!"

"Well there you are then! You have to do well in your exams if you want to live out that dream, so maybe you should start revising properly!" I snapped,

"I revise just fine thank you!" he snapped back,

"I do not see how the exploration of Lavender's mouth with yours can possibly be satisfactory revision!" I shouted. The entire Gryffindor table stopped and turned to look at me and Ron. My face was burning red, I had not meant to say that, it had just…slipped out. But boy was I in trouble now! I let my mouth run away with me, and I suddenly felt very self conscious. Ron also looked very flustered by my last remark and I instantly felt guilty for saying it.

"Well perhaps some of us like to find pleasure in other places than in books!" cried Lavender, who had stood up rather dramatically and was staring at me.

"Lavender," said Ron with a sigh, "sit down will you. It's just me and Hermione bickering. It happens a lot." He turned and smiled at me and I felt my heart go all fluttery.

"It's just something that you will have to use to." Said Harry, with the air of an old wise man about him, "And you do… eventually!" Harry motioned for Lavender to sit and reluctantly she did. I breathed a sigh of relief as crisis had been averted and turned to look at Ginny for some support. To my surprise she was smiling smugly in my direction. I gave her a questioning look, and she kept pointing at me and Ron then making obscene gestures with her hands. I was shocked at the youngest Weasley, and to think she looked so innocent! I was trying my best to make her stop doing them but my frantic waving was a little less than discrete and eventually Ron leaned over to ask, what the hell I was doing. I couldn't answer him I just burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter, and Ginny too seemed unable to stop laughing so the two of us took off from the table and legged it to the girls Bathroom to laugh.

"Ginny Weasley!" I exclaimed, "Where on earth did you learn to be so rude!"

Ginny laughed,

"You forget," she said, "that I grew up with six brothers not least that two of them were Fred and George! So don't you act so surprised!" We laughed a bit more until I took a look at my watch.

"Oh dear! Ginny don't you have Divination next?"

"Yeah." She replied pulling a face, "I wish I had taken your advice on that one Hermione."

"Well you better get going if you want to get there on time. It takes forever to get to the top of that tower." Ginny grimaced but nodded, we said our goodbyes and she scooted off out the door. I thought that as I was in the Bathroom I might as well make use of the facilities so I went into the nearest cubicle. I heard the door open and voices chatter. I recognised the voices as Lavender (worst luck), and Parvati, they were talking quite loudly and obviously thought that they were the only ones in there.

"So how's things with you and Ron?" asked Parvati in bored kind of way,

"Oh we're just great!" Replied Lavender in a sarcastic tone, "Yeah just great… things really aren't working out as I had planned." She said to her friend, "I mean the only reason I'm going out with Ron is to get closer to Harry, but he just seemed more miserable because I'm taking up all Ron's time. And it's not like I don't say to Ron, hey lets invite Harry over to hang with us. But all he wants to do is either be alone together, or insist that if Harry's coming then Hermione can too." She sighed, "It's so annoying! I mean it's like he likes her more than he does me! Which would be fine if only Harry would start paying me some attention!"

"Well just hang in there Lavender," spoke Parvati, "he'll notice you eventually, but you know how slow boys are about these things!"

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. Thanks."

"No problem babe." She replied, "Now we really must get going otherwise we will be late for Care of Magical Creatures." I heard the taps run and the door close, and so emerged from my cubicle in shock. I couldn't believe what I had just heard! How dare she tag Ron along while all the while trying to get her grubby claws into Harry! How dare she ruin my chances with Ron just for her own selfish wish to get Harry. There was nothing for it, I had to tell Ron, but would he believe me? Maybe he would just think I was trying to spite him, or that I was being jealous or just mean. Surely he wouldn't think that of me? I wasn't sure, but one thing I did know, I needed to speak to Ginny really badly.

I didn't get to speak to my second favourite red head until later that evening in the Common room. It had been hell all day seeing Ron alone, but seeing him with Lavender was even worse. How could she possibly use him in that way! I mean he was Ron! Sweet, loyal, trusting, loving, protecting, adorable, amazing, cute….ahem, sorry, but once I get going I could be at that all day. Right where was I? Oh yes! He was Ron! The most wonderful guy on this planet, and yet here she was clearly not appreciating what she had, and was willing to use him as a method to get his best friend interested in her! I was flabbergasted! How could she want to pass over Ron to get Harry! It beggars belief, but then I suppose I have always been a bit bias on that score. And besides, she didn't have a cat in hells chance with Harry because I had it on very good terms (from the mouth of Harry himself!) that he was also interested in talking to my second favourite red head that day. And certainly not for the same reasons as I!

I found Ginny by the fire and pulled her to one side for a confidential chat. I explained to her what I had overheard in the girls Bathroom, and asked whether she thought we should tell Ron.

"Of course we should!" she exclaimed, "We should tell him right now!"

"But Ginny, what if he doesn't believe us? What if he thinks that we're just trying to ruin his happiness?"

"Why on earth would he think that?" she scoffed, "You're his best friend and I'm his sister, he knows that we want him to be happy so why on earth should we lie about it?"

I thought about it for a second and realised that Ron really isn't some kind of un-human sea monster and that he would see that we were telling the truth because, why would we lie about it? I mean obviously if he knew how I felt then there may be a motive, but since he didn't I could see that it would be a safe bet that he would believe us. Oh Merlin! I don't know what it is but on any subject concerning Ron my impeccable intelligence just desserts me and I feel like a complete idiot! Thank goodness I have Ginny around to put me straight.

"Okay," I said to Ginny, "when should we tell him?"

"Right now!" she said and grabbed my arm and marched me over to where he and Lavender we sitting. They were holding hands (as usual) and seemed to be (this is the only way I can think to describe it) cooing at each other.

"Ron," said Ginny very authoritatively, "Hermione has something… Ouch!" Ginny looked around at me as I had just hit her, I gave her a look that I hopped that she would understand, she did thankfully.

"Sorry," she began again, "Hermione _and I_ have something we need to tell you."

Ron looked bemused,

"Right okay," he said glancing at the pair of us, "what do you want to tell me?" I glanced at Lavender who seemed interested in what we had to say,

"Perhaps we could do it in private?" I asked Ron, in a kind of we-really-need-to-get-away-from-Lavender kind of voce that I hoped he would understand, he didn't of course, bloody men.

"I'm sure you can tell me in front of Lavender," He said, "Unless it's something to do with Harry? Or Snuffles?" he asked in a confidential voice.

"No it's nothing to do with Snuffles, or Harry really." I assured him.

"Well go on then, spit it out!"

I glanced at Ginny who far from being as nervous as I was seemed almost bemused at the thought of telling Ron what I had heard in front of Lavender.

"Just tell him!" she said, and I suddenly felt very nauseous. Three sets of eyes were now trailed on me as Ginny, Ron and Lavender waited for me to speak.

"Well…humm, you see I was in the toilet. Well! Not _in_ the toilet obviously! What I mean to say is that I was in a cubicle after lunch in the girls Bathroom. And I saw, no! I _heard _yeah I heard…people." I looked up at the three faces and kind hoped that they would have guessed it by now.

"You heard people?" asked Ron bemused.

"Yes I heard people!" I replied enthused, hoping that he was catching my drift.

"And what were these people doing?" he asked.

"They were talking, they were talking about you! In fact the people were Lavender and Parvati and they were talking about you and how Lavender is only with you to get closer to Harry!" I managed to garble out the last bit so loudly that the entire common room heard me and stopped to listen to me.

"What?" Ron said, looking confused.

"Lavender is only with you to get closer to Harry." Said the stern voice of Ginny, and I rather wished that she had decided to jump into the conversation earlier.

"That is complete rubbish!" screeched Lavender, standing up drastically as she said it.

"Why would we lie!" cried Ginny taking an angry step towards her with the Weasley temper brewing dangerously under the surface.

"Hermione is trying to split us up! It's as clear glass! She's always of been jealous of us!" Lavender screamed,

"Jealous of what exactly?" I said rather hastily.

"Oh come off it!" she cried, "Everybody knows you love Ron! Anyone with half an eye can tell that! You have loved him for years but just never had the guts to say anything, so now that he's been snapped up you can't stand it and try to break it up because you're twisted and bitter!" I felt my face go as scarlet as my Gryffindor tie, but still she continued.

"It's either got to be you with Ron or no one with Ron and that's the truth!"

I was burning up, my entire face was engulfed in red, my head was spinning and I felt sick to my stomach but there was nowhere to run this time.

"You're right," I said softly, "I have loved him for years." I tried to look anywhere but at Ron. "But the fact is," I continued, "you were his choice and so I honoured that. I have backed away because all I want is for Ron to be happy. His friendship means more to me than life it's self and if you think for ONE second that I would try and ruin that by making up some stupid lie in order to break you and him up then you really don't know me at all." I took a breath and secretly congratulated myself for my bravery. "Now you listen here Lavender," I said and pointed at her in order to emphasise my point, "I know what I heard, and what I heard was that the only reason you are going out with Ron is in order to get closer to Harry. I heard that from you OWN lips. Now you can say that I'm making it up, but it would be you who are the liar. I know you staged this relationship to try and entice Harry. I also know that Harry has never shown ANY interest to you in the past and that that has really eaten you alive. So you concoct this little plan to try and seduce him while hurting another perfectly wonderful guy in the process. So to be honest I think it's YOU who are the bitter and twisted one!" I turned away from her and began to walk away. I gave a fleeting glance at Ron and said,

"You decide who you think is telling the truth." And with that I walked up the stairs to my dormitory shaking like a leaf. To my amazement as I walked the stairs I heard a riotous applause coming from the Common room, and I smiled as I reached my door.

I tried to stay in my dorm for as long as possible the next day. Luckily it was a Saturday and a Hogsmeade visit so there was next to no one in the common room when I finally decided to come down. Ginny had come up to see me before she set off for Hogsmeade to tell me that Ron and Lavender had split up, but she really must hurry because Harry was waiting for her to go. I smiled and wished her a happy Hogsmeade visit, to which she sighed and winked at me! What is she like! Still I hoped that they would have less problems getting together with the person they loved.

Once I finally got dressed and sneaked my way down stairs I listened at the door to the Common Room to see if there was anyone in there. There didn't appear to be anyone so I slowly pushed aside to old wooden door, and gasped at what I saw. Candles. There were hundreds of lit candles dotted all about the room, over the fire place, on chairs, even on the floor. The windows were bordered up so the only light was coming from the hundreds of tiny flames that were flickering in the draught caused by the open door. The candles seemed to lead to the fire place and stopped at one of the big plush arm chairs that had been positioned by the fire. Sat in the chair was Ron.

"Hi." He said and grinned.

"Hey." I said, rather unsure of what was going on.

"I love you." He said, and I was struck down like an arrow. I wasn't sure I actually heard what I thought I heard. My mind was racing, my heart was pumping, my skin was tingling and all I wanted to do was run up and hug him. Instead I said,

"What?!"

"I said, I love you."

"Do you?"

"Of course I do. I have done from the first moment I saw you, the first moment you told me that I had dirt on my face! I have loved you from your first smile at me, the first time I saw you eat, the first time you beat me in Charms, the first time we watched Harry play Quidditch, the first time we bickered, the last time we bickered! I have always loved you." My eyes filled with tears at hearing his words.

"I have always loved you too." I managed.

"Then what are we doing Hermione?" He asked and stood as he did so. He followed the line of candles to the door where I was stood and held me tight in his arms. I wept, freely knowing that I would never let him go, knowing that he would never let me go either. He pulled back and held my face in his hands.

"Are you alright?" he asked and wiped away a tear from my cheek with his thumb.

"I will be." I replied rather shakily.

"Then that's all that matters." He mumbled and bent his face forwards to capture my lips in a perfect kiss. The sensation of his flesh on mine was almost too much to bear. An old, forgotten, primal, human magic ran between us and I felt as though sparks were tingling through every vein in my body. I was suddenly aware of everything of Ron and I never wanted to let go of that feeling. But too soon he pulled away and whispered into my ear,

"So will you be mine?"

"Of course I will." I replied, and he kissed me again.

So there you have it, our little tale of romance, I hoped you liked it. It was never going to be a smooth ride for Ron and I, set aside the terrible war and exams to worry about we argued and fought and bickered to our hearts content. But you know, in a strange way it always seems to strengthen the bond we have between us. Oh and in case you're wondering Harry and Ginny did get together… and marry and had children, two to be precise. A girl and a boy, they are the most adorable children with their messy ginger hair! And Ron and I settled and are beginning a brood of our own. Just the one so far, our little baby daughter Jennifer Molly Weasley. Although it did cause controversy when she became the only Weasley to date that doesn't have ginger hair! But then she is her mother's daughter, much to her father's dismay! So we still fuss, and we still fight, and I still fret about marking student's homework, and Ron still takes a very casual attitude to paperwork, but we still love each other dearly, and I know we always will.

13


End file.
